"Emmanuel," "Immanuel," potato, potahto. The word means "God with us" any way you spell it (Isa 7:14; Matt 1:23). "God with us." An amazing name ... but, think about it. What does that mean? I mean, God is omnipresent. Isn't He always with us? So what exactly does this mean? In Matthew 7, Jesus speaks of those who come to Him saying, "Lord, Lord, look what we've done for You." He tells them to depart because "I never knew you" (Matt 7:21-23). It's a startling thing to say, since the Son of God knows everyone and everything. So this must be something ... else, something more. In the same way, "Immanuel" -- God with us -- must be something more.
The term is explained in Matthew's version of Christ's Incarnation. It seems obvious, then, that the Incarnation -- God become flesh -- is in view here. God is always with us in spirit, but at that point in time He became flesh and dwelt among us. John wrote, "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14) "God with us" includes His becoming flesh and, in that flesh, showing God's glory in a brand new way. John also wrote, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16). "God with us" includes this gift from God, His Son -- His Son that offers eternal life to those who believe. Building on that idea, Paul wrote, "He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?" (Rom 8:32). "God with us" is a new relationship with God in which He supplies all things, making us "more than conquerors" (Rom 8:37).Paul also wrote, "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me" (Gal 2:20). That's another way in which "God with us" is new -- "Christ in me." This notion is our "hope of glory" (Col 1:27). In it, we know that all things work together for good because ... get this ... God is shaping us into the image of His Son (Rom 8:28-29), a previously unknown possibility.
We've all likely heard that "Immanuel" means "God with us." I've offered a few ways in which is it much more than a simply omnipresent God. He has ... personalized His presence. He has bridged the gap and given His people peace (Rom 5:1). In fact, Jesus said, "This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent" (John 17:3). This "God with us," then is extraordinary. Not mere presence, but genuine relationship. And an amazing relationship if you think about it.
9 comments:
The verse that made this clear to me is in John 1 when he says that God "tabernacled" with us. He lived a life like us. And I think that was for our benefit, not His. Since He's omniscient, He knows sin and temptation in ways we can never know, but because He experienced it as we do, we can see that it happened and He knows.
This "God with us," then is extraordinary. Not mere presence, but genuine relationship. And an amazing relationship if you think about it.
Yes, we Christians do cherish that relationship with God--offered to mere men in no other belief system! To be indwelled by the very God and Creator of all things is truly astounding.
Does anyone else wonder why Jesus referred to Himself in the third person in John 17:1-3? (It reads a bit odd to me, especially since that changes completely beginning with verse 4.)
Never bothered me. He is talking to the Father about who the Father would glorify. "Me" didn't fit as well as "Your Son." But, hey, that's just me.
The reference that seems especially odd to me is in verse 3, where He says, "...that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." He starts saying "Me" then in verse 4 and on to the end of the chapter. It just struck me as awkward.
Well, when you get to heaven, you can pull Jesus aside and give Him some pointers on better ways of communicating. (A joke. I'm kidding.)
I wonder if it's an issue with how it translates into English. Maybe it hits differently in the original language.
Personally, I don't have an issue with it.
Well, I know that Jesus made no error, of course, but I might ask John about that one. He will no doubt reply, “Proper English punctuation, grammar, and syntax? That’s all Greek to me!”
It seems to me that He is here identifying Himself with the Son. "Good, glorify the Son. I am the Son. Glorify me."
Post a Comment